Comfort Care Bags

We are so excited to report that the Bella Bowman Foundation delivered our first round of Comfort Care Bags to OLOL Children's Hospital.  It is a bag full of items to help families feel more comfortable while they are dealing with difficult issues and decisions and also having to stay for an extended time in the hospital.  We hope to be able to donate monthly to the hospital.

A BIG THANK YOU to Pam Rock, Pediatric Dental Specialist of Baton Rouge, Goudeau's Health Mart Pharmacy, and SOHO Boutique Salon for donating item for the bags.

Happy Thanksgiving

Today and everyday I am thankful for all the support my friends and family have given us throughout our journey with Bella.
I want to share this prayer that Brother Bill Compton wrote for Bella when she was 3 years old. She memorized this prayer and she would tell me the prayer every night before we went to bed. It is a very found memory of how strong her faith was and I am very thankful for ha

ving! I hope it helps you and gives you the faith, hope, strength and belief that it gave Bella.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. The father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort us in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Great and mighty God, we give you thanks this very moment in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, for the miracle that is now taking place in Bella's body, mind, spirt and soul. Dear Father we accept this gift of healing with all joy and confidence knowing that you are indeed able to do this!

We are now looking into the future and we see Bella's inner strength fighting off all illnesses and here sprit growing beyond human understanding.

Dear God direct her character to never accept any defeat to always be positive and to see to it that only good things come her way.

We know that prayers last forever. We thank you every time this prayer is read, uncomprehendable power will fill her body. Let nothing stand in the way of all these request being fulfilled immediately.

In Jesus Christ most holy name
Amen

I can still hear her sweet little voice reading the prayer to me! Happy Thanksgiving!

Mistletoe Market

Come by and see us at our booth today and Sunday at Mistletoe Market at the Belle!

http://www.mistletoemarketbr.com

Hope to see you there!

OLOL Children's Hospital Halloween Party

The Bella Bowman Foundation put a lot of smiles on sick children who could not trick or treat at home on Halloween. We took pictures and made photo frames as a keep sake and we donated costumes to all the children. They were so excited to

 have a brand new costume for the parade they had in the hospital.! Thank you Lisa, Donna, Leah, Suzanne, Janet (Grammy) for making their Halloween so special. And also thank you Maddie and OLOL Children's Hospital for allowing us to be there!

St Jude Give Thanks Run

JOIN OUR TEAM!  We will have a TEAM BELLA T-shirt pick up Friday, November 16 at SOHO Salon from 9am to 2pm.


http://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/GiveThanksWalk/GTW?team_id=28836&pg=team&fr_id=3681

SAVE THE DATE

SAVE THE DATE FOR ANOTHER WONDERFUL EVENING!

Mistletoe Market

We are so excited to have a booth at Mistletoe Market this weekend.  Come by and see us!  Also if you Signed up for the Give Thanks St Jude walk for Team Bella we will have the shirts there to pick up.

http://www.mistletoemarketbr.com

St Jude Remembrance Memorial Service

Trey and Baylor and I went to St Jude this weekend to remember and honor Bella.  It was the first time we have been back to St Jude since Bella has died.  It was a roller coaster of emotions but we are so glad we went.  We got to see the doctors and nurses.  They told us that they never got to say goodbye.  Her Doctor has her picture in his office. There were so many families and too many children who have died.  We will always be a part of the St Jude family and Bella will never be forgotten.  With your help we can help St Jude.  Go the St. Jude's website and sign up for the Give Thanks walk in November in Baton Rouge.  Our teams name is Team Bella.  Also if you haven't already please go to Facebook and LIKE our foundation page to get updates!  Bella Bowman Foundation page.  Please help us spread the word!

Gentle Hands

I am very excited about speaking at Gentle Hands Tuesday evening at St. Aloysius. I love sharing Bella's story. It helps me feel like she is here with me and never forgotten!


Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you… Jeremiah 1:5

Gentle Hands Memorial Service

Join us for an evening memorial service
for families who have suffered the loss of a child.
All faiths are welcome.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012
6:30 pm
St. Aloysius Catholic Church

We invite you to arrive early to sit in the garden
and pray or reflect near the Gentle Hands Sculpture.

Gentle Hands is a ministry of St. Aloysius Parish that ministers to families that have suffered the death of a child through miscarriage, stillbirth, early infant loss or other tragedies.

For more information, e-mail: Michelle Breaux @ 4breaux@att.net

Bella received her Birthday Wishes!

COURAGE, BELIEF, FAITH and STRENGTH - - -This is what Bella taught us!

You may remember this story from Easter…After church Easter Sunday morning, Baylor, Kim and Trey went to visit Bella at her grave.  It was a special day for us.  We asked Bella to please let us know that you are OK and this simple prayer was answered.  When we got home there was a white dove next to the pond.  This dove stayed with us all day.  After calling Sister Uyen and sharing this good news, she said “that would make sense, Bella the red bird did not visit me today; she came to see you in her Easter white”  This day was very special because Bella sent a sign through to confirm with us that she is OK.  Three days later the white dove appeared again right outside of Trey’s office window.  This was brief but long enough for a few photos’ and yet again fueling our COURAGE, BELIEF, FAITH and STRENGTH.

Saturday September 8^th was Bella’s Birthday.  We celebrated that morning at Chick-fil-A with a helium balloon launch.  All red balloons with white ribbons tied to them along with a message that children / adults wrote to send  Bella in Heaven. We know that Bella received these messages because we found one.  While cutting the grass this past Saturday (one week from the launch), Trey ran over a red balloon with a white ribbon.  Unfortunately the white ribbon was shredded, but he was able to get the red balloon.   This balloon traveled for miles back to Bella’s House and landed directly across the driveway from where we saw the white dove, Easter Sunday morning.  No message was attached, because we are sure that Bella kept it.  We are confident this is Bella communicating to us, since we never did have these balloon’s at our house…there was not a possible chance that one escaped…This was Bella, fueling our COURAGE, BELIEF, FAITH and STRENGTH!  Thank you Bella!

Please share / like this story with someone or others.  Hopefully it will have a positive impact on them; as it did for us!

 

Happy Birthday Bella!

SAVE THE DATE!

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8!  COME CELEBRATE WITH US AND SEND BELLA A BALLOON ON HER BIRTHDAY!  DETAILS TO COME!

Making New Memories

Another hard hurdle I had to go through today.  This is a picture of Bellas dance bag and uniform from last year.  I got it out of her closet because I am registering Baylor tomorrow for her first year of dance at Powell Moise and I needed to know what fit?  Well everything fit her.  She was so excited to wear her big sis dance uniform.  Before Bella passed away I asked her if it was ok if Baylor went to her dance studio.  Bella told me yes but not in her class.  It is so ironic that Baylor's class time is the same class time Bella's was last year.  It is going to be hard to do the same routine without my Bella but what I have learned through many counseling sessions is I have to live through it and make new memories to lift some of the pain.  I'm trying to do it but some things are just so hard.  I don't know why God has put me through the many hardships in my life that I have gone through in only 39 short years but I can only hope that the payoff is unimaginable and will be amazing!

Believe!

Its been a while since I have posted but we have taken some time off during the summer and also trying to adjust to our "new life".

I have a story to tell that will remind you how Bella is still here and alive all around us.

Last week we received a letter from St. Jude asking us to come and participate in a Memorial service honoring Bella and other children who lost there battle with cancer.  I had trouble sleeping all week and I just wasn't myself.  I kept thinking how am I going to walk the same halls I had last walked with Bella.  It was our place.  Our memories.  Our special place where we used to eat at the Kay Cafe.  Our favorite place where I used to read to her while we were waiting for her next therapy.  How would I see the doctors and nurses again?  It was a lot to take in and I knew that it was a hurdle that I wanted to go through, but the thought of it made me very sad!  So I asked Bella to come and help my sad heart and that I needed to know she was still with me.

 Later that night we were having our family movie night on the couch and Baylor brought in blankets for all of us.  I really didn't notice which ones she had brought to us but after the movie was over and Trey and Baylor were asleep and I was still on the couch alone,  I realized that I was covered in the orange pumpkin blanket that I had given to Bella when we were at St Jude and it was her favorite.  She was always wrapped up in it and it always had to be on her bed!!!  The crazy thing, this blanket was put away when we came home from the hospital after Bella had passed away and I had not seen it since.  I know it was Bella's way of wrapping herself around me when I needed her.  I sat and cried holding that blanket.  I could smell her!   This was her way of telling me that I can do it and she will be there with me!  If only I could hear her sweet voice telling me it was going to be ok like she always did, if only I could hold her warm body one more time!  I would give up give my life up for that one moment!

Here are four words that you should take with you today that Trey encouraged and reminded me to keep going and keep her story alive:  STRENGTH, FAITH, COURAGE and BELIEF!  Anything is possible if you just BELIEVE!

Beads for Bella!

I am so excited about our next event coming up!  This is something Bella would have loved to go to.  We are going to have a book reading, making jewelry and taking photos!  Please join us and tell all your friends!  Thank you to Lisa and Camellia for making this possible!

At the Beach!

We had so much fun at the beach last weekend!  We had our family and friends with us but it wasn't the same without Bella.  My nephew told me that it isn't fun without Bella.  Its really hard when you lose your best friend.  So I told him that Baylor needs him now and he said, "Oh Ya Im going to take care of her but I still miss Bella!"  I'm so glad Bella had him in her life!

2 MAkE A DIFFERENCE

Please watch our story TONIGHT at 10:00 pm on WBRZ with Silvia Weatherspoon on WBRZ 2MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

http://www.wbrz.com/2-make-a-difference/

Powell Moise Dance Review

I just finished writing my speech for the dance review for Powell Moise.  I will be there tomorrow night talking about the foundation.  The sweet and talented girls who dance there made up a dance just for Bella!  It is probably going to be the hardest thing I have done so far.  It was just a year ago that Bella was hurrying home from Proton Radiation to make it to her recital.  She put on her purple costume and danced the night away!  She always loved her roses she got from her daddy after she was done!  Next year Baylor will be there just like her big sister!

Bella
Mommy is going to need your strength to get thru tomorrow night!  I miss you so much!

Mother's Day

Bella's Ball was amazing!  Everything I could have wished for and more!  Thank you for everyone who helped make it be such a great success!  We are taking a break this week and then back to raising funds and raising awareness!  We are partnering with a fishing rodeo with fathers and daughters in June.  Details to come!  Also look for Bella's story in Wee Believe.  It is so powerful!

I would also like to thank everyone for their thoughtful messages today during this very difficult day.  No one in my family felt like celebrating today and so we really didn't.  I just can't wait until the day is over so I can feel like I made it!  Its been very difficult lately for me to visit Bella and I'm praying for God to give me peace.  Have you ever wanted something so bad that you would do anything for it?

Bella Bowman Foundation News

Hello to all of you,

It has been a while since our last communication to Bella’s Follower’s, so here are a few updates on the Bella Bowman Foundation:

1. The Bella Bowman Foundation continues to grow awareness!  We are pleased to announce the launch of our website!  You can view the site at www.bellabowman.org  Now that our site is live you can keep track of the progress on the Bella Bowman Foundation and all of the events that we are planning.

2.  Recent events that the Bella Bowman Foundation hosted or took part in:

·         Bella’s Market – This event raised over $1,500.

·         Adagio Fashion Show – Over $1,400 contributed to the Foundation!

3. Thursday, April 19^th Chili’s at two locations (College Dr. and Millerville Rd.) in Baton Rouge, has agreed to donate 10% of ALL dine-in or take out restaurant sales for the day, to the Bella Bowman Foundation!  In order for the 10% of sales to be donated you must mention the Bella Bowman Foundation so the order can be marked appropriately.  Attached is a flyer for this that can be printed and presented to receive a FREE CHIPS & SALSA with your order.  This coupon must be present to receive the Free Chips and Salsa.  You have permission to forward this coupon to your friends and family.  This will be an all-day event so help us spread the word.  This is a special event for us because Bella was a patient at the Chili’s building on the St. Jude campus.  We are most appreciative of St. Jude and one of their sponsor’s Chili’s.

4. Bella’s Ball is just around the corner on May 10^th at 6.30 pm | The Louisiana State Museum.  Tickets are available on the website www.bellabowman.org  Attached is the ad that is running in 225 and inRegister magazines. - - - - Hope to see you all there!

5. Bella’s Boo Dash is a 5K run that we are planning for October.  More details will be available soon on the Events page on the website www.bellabowman.org

6. We have been invited to participate in a Father / Daughter fishing tournament in Fourchon, LA.  This has been an annual event that one of our follower’s has asked for all of the profits from this tournament be donated to the Bella Bowman Foundation.  Again, more details to follow for this event…

As always, we thank you for support, prayers and following.

Easter Sunday

The night before Easter was extremely hard.  After making up the girls baskets I just sat and cried!  When I put Baylor's basket together I was thinking about how she was going to love her bathing suits and love to going swimming this summer and when I put Bellas basket together I thought about what can I put in here that would hold up against the rain.
Church was beautiful but I started crying the minute I walked in and saw the cross that we all put flowers on and all the butterflies on the walls.  Bella was baptized on Easter Sunday when she was 5.  Also this was one of her favorite times at church.  She loved to put a flower on the cross at church and loved all the beautiful butterflies on the wall to show that we need to rejoice because Jesus is alive and he has risen!  After church we went to bring Bella's Easter basket to her and visit.  I asked her to come and visit us.  When we got home by the pond in front of out house there was a white dove.  Very odd to see this bird by our house.  Trey went to feed her and she stayed until we left to go to a Easter party.  I truly believed that Bella came in her Easter white to visit.  I have prayed all week for her to come and see me and I feel like she has been making visits all week.

Thank you Leah and your beautiful family for inviting us to your Easter celebration.  We had so much fun and it made the day much better!

Bella's Ball

Check out our Ad in 225 and in Register this month!  Go to our website and get your ticket early!

Today I had such a hard time at church today.  I could barely breath while taking communion because I was crying so much.  And as soon as Baylor sees me cry she starts to cry and tell me she misses Bella.  This should not be a day of tears its my favorite holiday!  And I didn't even feel like April Fooling anyone.
Trey and I feel like the longer time goes on the harder this is to deal with.  Everything reminds me of her!!!  Reality is setting in....She is not coming home.

SAVE THE DATE!  Thursday April 19th!  Come and eat at Chili's!  If you mention Bella Bowman Foundation for lunch, dinner, or takeout, 10 % of the proceeds go towards our foundation!  This will take place at the College Drive and the Millerville locations.  We will be out there for dinnertime selling t-shirts and passing out her story.  Also coming soon there will be a flyer you can print out and bring with you and you get free chips and salsa!  April 19th is Ependymoma Awareness Day.  This was the type of brain tumor Bella had.  Come and eat that day and support the foundation!

My nephews are wearing their t-shirts proud for Bella!  Love You!!

Here is part of our Bella Bowman Foundation Team!  Thanks for you hard work!  Especially you Millie!